Leaders on the edge of breakdown: statistics

I say elsewhere on this site that The emotional and spiritual health of leaders in churches today is dangerously low, and the stresses and temptations they are facing is dangerously high. You don’t have to look far to find stats to back that up. Here are some, gleaned from articles by Darrin Patrick and Mark Driscoll:

1500 pastors leave ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches. This means that every hour of the traditional work week, almost 9 pastors somewhere are leaving their ministry post.

80% of pastors and 84% percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.

50% of pastors – so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.

80% of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry – leave the ministry within the first five years.

70% of pastors fight depression.

Almost 40% of pastors said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.

50% of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.

80% of pastors’ spouses wish their spouse would choose another profession.

The majority of pastor’s wives surveyed said that the most destructive event that occurred in their marriage and family was the day they entered the ministry.